When was your Model 70 produced?

While dating your Model 70 by serial number can be difficult, and there are many "legends" about why the historic serial number records for Winchester rifles and shotguns are not complete or why they are not always verifiable. A few reasons cited are:

A fire at the factory

Inadvertent destruction (during office cleaning)

Records simply lost in filing

Records misplaced between ownership transitions

Documents borrowed but not returned

There is probably some kernel of truth to all of them. But the fact remains; there is no original, single, totally accurate database of serial numbers from 1866 forward that we are aware of. But perhaps this page can help you somewhat in your research.

RECORDS AT THE FACTORY INDICATE THE FOLLOWING SERIAL NUMBERS WERE ASSIGNED TO GUNS AT THE END OF THE CALENDAR YEAR

Records for rifles produced after 1992 have not been released. However you can call Winchester Firearms directly to inquire about the date of production on your rifle. Winchester can be reached directly at 800-333-3288.

Using the information above you should be able to determine when your Model 70 was produced. And as such follow the chart below for part availability.

Pre '64 - Manufactured from 1935-1963

Sorry, wood and mechanical parts are no longer available for this era of Model 70.

Post '64 - Manufactured from 1964-2006

Mechanical parts and wood are available for these rifles produced by USRAC in New Haven, Ct..

New Production - Manufactured from 2008-Current

Stocks are available, and some mechanical parts may interchange from the USRAC productions.

What bolt style do I have?

Winchester made 3 different style bolts for the Winchester model 70. Push Feed, The Control Round Feed, and the Control Round Push Feed. Each of these bolt use different parts, so it is important to understand which bolt you have in your rifle. Use the figures below to determine which bolt you have.

Figure 1 - PUSH FEED BOLT

Figure 2 - PF BOLT FACE

The PUSH FEED BOLT will have a small extractor and an ejector built into the bolt face as seen in figure 2. And as shown in Figure 1 a retaining pin for the ejector is visible from the outside. Also shown in figure 2 is that a push feed bolt has a completely inletted bolt face.

Figure 3 - CONTROL ROUND FEED BOLT

Figure 4 - CRF BOLT FACE

The CONTROL ROUND FEED BOLT will have a long "Claw" type extractor (see figure 3) and is often referred to as a pre'64 style bolt. However the USRAC parts do not interchange with the pre'64 manufactured rifles. While the extractor is the most common way to identify this bolt style you can also look at the bolt face (figure 4) and see that it does not have a small extractor, and does not include an ejector.

Figure 5 - CONTROL ROUND PUSH FEED BOLT

Figure 6 - CRPF Bolt Face

The CONTROL ROUND PUSH FEED BOLT is a combination of the previous two types of bolts. As seen in figure 5 there is not a long "claw" extractor. And in figure 6 you can see that the bolt uses the small style extractor, but the bolt face is not completely inletted.

What floor plate assembly do I need/have?

Winchester produced 3 different types of Trigger Guard / Floor Plate Assemblies. The 1 piece, the 2 piece, and the DBM (detachable box magazine) versions. These are each in addition to having a blind magazine, which requires nothing accept a trigger guard. And each Model 70 stock requires the use of a specific floor plate assembly. To determine which floor plate assembly you may have, or to see which assembly you may need use the figures below.

Figure 5 - One Piece Trigger Guard/Floor Plate Assembly

The 1 piece trigger guard and floor plate assembly is exactly as it sounds. The trigger guard and the floor plate hinge are a solid piece of metal. With only the floor plate itself being a seperate component (figure 5). This assembly also only requires 2 action or trigger guard and floor plate screws.

Figure 6 - Two Piece Trigger Guard/Floor Plate Assembly

The 2 piece trigger guard and floor plate assembly is two completely independant components(figure 6). The trigger guard attaches itself seperately with two screws, while the floor plate attaches with yet another screw. and unlike the 1 piece assembly either the trigger guard or the floor plate can be replaced individually.

The DBM or Detachable Box Magazine is only for use with the DBM magazines which you can view and purchase HERE. This is easily identified, by a lack of floor plate, and a magazine release. This assembly also only take two screws, and has a much more squared bracket where the floor plate hinge would normally be.

What type of action is my rifle?

For our purposes, we will be discussing the USRAC production and later actions. These came in 3 basic types, and the depending upon the barrel you could then change the basic designation to a more specific type (i.e. long action verse long action magnum). While both use the same action, the magnum will have a different contour barrel and require a wider channel in the stock.

The 3 basic types of actions are Super Short Action, Short Action, and Long Action. And outside of a few custom builds and specialty rifles, all your Model 70's made after 1964 should follow these rules. Use the Table and Figure below to determine your Winchester Model 70 action.